My worst bite yet (pics)!

[Lolo76]

I've probably been bitten a dozen or so times in the years I've been keeping snakes, but this one is a doozy!! Courtesy of Kipling the JCP, who mistook my thumb for a rat during a feeding last night. OMG, this one was SPURTING blood... literally splattered my shirt, legs, and spots on the rug, as I ran to the bathroom to try stopping it. For a minute I thought it might require an ER visit (to stop the bleeding), which I secretly wanted just to see their faces when I ran in yelling "SNAKE BITE!" Here in the urban Bay Area, that probably isn't something they hear very often.

Anyway, it is now very blue, swollen, and still hurting quite a bit. You don't realize how important a thumb is, until you no longer have full use of it - especially now with texting & smart-phoning, which we do mostly with our thumbs. Even typing this on my laptop is kinda painful. Here are a few pics, and believe me, it hurts even worse than it looks:



This is where most of the blood came from... think he hit a vein?


And here's the culprit (when he was smaller), who is usually a super mellow guy - I swear.

[Lolo76]

P.S. I went to check on him once I'd gotten the bleeding under control, and he was happily munching away on the rat... thankfully it fell into the tub, as I'd have been too shaky to try feeding him again so soon! Thankfully no tooth loss, as far as I can tell, and this is likely a sign I need to buy longer tongs for his feedings.

[AlexisFitzy]

Awww I love the pic of him. Looks likes he's saying "sowy momma" lol. Pretty grisly bit! Hope your thumb doesn't fall off


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[Lolo76]

Awww I love the pic of him. Looks likes he's saying "sowy momma" lol. Pretty grisly bit! Hope your thumb doesn't fall off

Haha... and yeah, he does look sorry in that pic! As I said, he is generally a sweetheart, and also my TV-watching companion. When he was little he'd sit on my head, now he usually chills on the bookshelf when indoor weather permits.

I just checked on my thumb to change the bandage, and it looks even worse. Now the whole bottom part is blue, so he must have hit a vein or something. And lemme tell you, these past few weeks have been the most accident-prone I've ever experienced! Started with emergency dental surgery (2 root canals, infection that was spreading), then I banged my elbow really badly, dropped a huge bowl on my foot, broke a chandelier, and now this. Is it a weird moon phase, or what? Hopefully that's it for the time being, or my next post might be from a hospital bed.

[AlexisFitzy]

Omg I'm sorry to hear your strong of bad luck! That sounds horrible I've heard how bad those root canals are. I haven't had very good luck either. Locking myself out of the house and then cutting my toe open breaking back into it was not a fun thing lol. But that's about it. You've had a much worse experience than I. I hope your luck changes soon!


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[Lolo76]

Thanks, and no, root canals are NOT fun! I've had them done before, but never two at once - and never with such a bad infection (I almost went septic). Anyway, I hope we both have better luck in the next month.

[alan12013]

Awesome bite, congrats. Bandage it up good and as painful as it sounds if it's still bleeding in the morning give it a serious squeeze and re-bandage. I've had 2 root canals at the same time and still need them finished. The most painful thing is the cost! Even with good insurance it's in the thousands.

[Drako21]

Maybe consider wearing a leather glove next time you feed. He won't be able to see the heat(or as much) from your hand and if he does bite there will be a barrier.

[Lolo76]

Awesome bite, congrats. Bandage it up good and as painful as it sounds if it's still bleeding in the morning give it a serious squeeze and re-bandage. I've had 2 root canals at the same time and still need them finished. The most painful thing is the cost! Even with good insurance it's in the thousands.

Haha; only on a snake forum do people congratulate you for a bite!

It's not actively bleeding anymore, but is rather purple and sore. I'm keeping it tightly bandaged, but will get it checked out if there's no improvement by the weekend. I have good insurance, so why not? Speaking of which, yeah, those root canals ain't cheap. I didn't even have to get crowns (one already had a crown), and it was still $700 AFTER my insurance covered another $2000... totally ate up my benefits for this year, so hopefully my teeth will behave until January.

[Lolo76]

Maybe consider wearing a leather glove next time you feed. He won't be able to see the heat(or as much) from your hand and if he does bite there will be a barrier.

Yes, I think a glove and/or longer set of tongs will be needed for future Kipling feedings. I've raised him since he was a tiny worm, so I'm probably TOO comfortable around him... and apparently forget he has become such a big boy! You really don't realize how far a snake his size can stretch, until they decide to show you.